I’ve been thinking these past few days about Sarah Jane and the SJA crew, and wondering how they might have ended up had the show continued and beyond. In memory of Elisabeth Sladen’s passing (three years ago today), I’ve written out some of my favorite headcanons. They take some of RTD’s notes about the future of the show into account, but not all of them - that’s the fun of headcanons!
As per RTD in “The Sarah Jane Companion”, Sky would have been revealed to be the Trickster’s daughter, forcing a final confrontation between Sarah Jane and her enemy. Sarah Jane is able to help Sky defeat the Trickster’s control over her, but doing so would have “elevated [her to her] final form, a magical, ethereal, angelic figure, infused with all of Sarah Jane’s wisdom and compassion, who would stand watch over the dimensions forever.”
After Sky’s ascension, Luke takes time off school to be with Sarah Jane, who is overwhelmed with guilt and grief. Though she never fully gets past it, she encounters Sky in a dream some months later; though she can’t prove that it was real, it helps her find closure.
Rani and Clyde get together, but it’s not perfect. They have an on again/off again relationship throughout university, with Rani wanting to focus on her career and Clyde struggling with his fear of turning out like his father. Luke and Clyde share a bachelor pad for much of this time. Rani briefly dates Santiago Jones during one of their off-periods, and they remain good friends even after Rani and Clyde get their act together and end up together for good.
Maria returns to England for university, leaving her father in the US. She struggles with what to do with herself, staying with Sarah Jane for a time and eventually taking Sarah Jane’s advice to travel (though not in the TARDIS, young lady, at least not without letting me know!). While in Peru, she becomes involved in thwarting a routine alien invasion and meets Kate Stewart, who arrives with UNIT to clean up the mess. Though initially wary of UNIT she returns to the UK and interns with them, eventually returning to school and getting a degree in psychology which she uses to work with humans and aliens alike.
Between her hard work, determination, and Sarah Jane’s connections, Rani lands a great journalism job, but suffers a crisis of conscience, unsure if she can reconcile her vow of uncovering the truth with her secret alien-fighting life. Sarah Jane confides that she has struggled with the same dilemma, and Rani eventually compromises by writing the true accounts of all of their adventures to be published at a later date.
Clyde becomes an art teacher, working on comics and freelance projects on the side. When he and Rani welcome their first child, a girl named Sky, he happily spends most of his time working from home. In his mid twenties he unexpectedly reunites with the girl he knew as Ellie and explains why he abandoned her; she forgives him and ends up hitting it off with Maria, who is equally intrigued by this mysterious girl.
Luke excels in university, obtaining a ridiculous number of doctorates and degrees, and is sought after by every scientific facility of note. While he initially accepts one of these offers, he quickly realizes that he prefers having control over his own work and doesn’t like the publicity associated with his high-profile job. He ends up working more or less on his own, occasionally doing consulting work, and his inventions/discoveries shape much of the technology of the 21st century. Sarah Jane and his friends remain largely perplexed when he tries to explain his work, but are extremely proud of him.
After dating Sanjay through most of university and a few others after, Luke eventually settles down with a nice guy who has absolutely nothing to do with aliens - at least, not until he meets Luke. They don’t plan on having kids but accidentally adopt one of Maria’s clients, an eight year old girl whose parents were accidentally killed while investigating alien technology.
Gita, Haresh, and Carla are initially overwhelmed and furious by the revelation that their kids have been involved in their secret alien lifestyle for years; Haresh tries to forbid Rani from going to university so as to keep her safe. Alan Jackson becomes an ally to Rani and Clyde, spending a long time talking their parents down and helping them come to terms with it. In the end they forgive Sarah Jane and the kids, though it takes Haresh, especially, a long time to accept what his daughter spends her time doing. (Gita admits to being at least a little relieved that there are, in fact, aliens.)
Alan eventually returns to England to be closer to Maria, bringing with him his new wife and two young stepchildren.
Luke, Rani, Clyde, and Maria continue to help Sarah Jane defend the Earth, assist those in need, and investigate alien artifacts. As they get older, begin careers, and settle down with families the dynamics change, but it’s a rare weekend that at least one of them isn’t on Bannerman Road. As the extended family continues to grow, they spend many happy years there, forbidding Sarah Jane from cooking holiday dinners, letting the kids play with K-9, visiting Mr. Smith in the attic, and every now and then hearing the familiar whirrr of the TARDIS landing in the attic…
Sarah Jane is in her late eighties when she hears it for the last time. Knowing what it means, she gathers her family to say goodbye and to thank them for giving her such a happy life, before she steps into the TARDIS for one last adventure with the Doctor.
Not long after, Rani publishes her accounts of their adventures over the years, ensuring that Sarah Jane is never forgotten - not by history, and certainly not by them.
